Apparatus for binding the edges of knitted fabrics



' Aug. 13, 1935. H. McK. cARMlcHAEL Er AL 2,011,513'

APPARATUS FR BINDING THE EDGES OF KNITTED FABRCS l Original Filed Oo-t. 7, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet. l

Aug. 13, 1935- H. MCK. cARMlcHAx-:L ET AL 2,011,513

APPARATUS FOR BINDING THE EDGES OF' KNITTED FABRICS Original Filed Oct. '7, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q *Q ,j In (g2 ,L21 am O L ifi z i mi r f MMM Patented Aug. 13,1935

Machine Company, Chicago,. I ll.,La corporation "of lIllinois 'Original application October 7, 1932,;Serial No. jv .L if, F c y 636,764..` Divided and this application July25, 1934, Serial No.,736,938

The invention relates to new and useful'vimf provements in anapparatus for applying abindl ing strip to the curved cut edge of a knitted fabric and more particularlyto an improved device a? for applying andreleasing the tension on abindingl strip at `the will of the operator.

In makingknitted undergarrnents, itis acom-v mon expedient to form'a, tubular knitted blank and to ycut Outand shape Athe lblank to form the i: neck portion-andarmholes of the garment. AThe Wales of the fabric'extend lengthwise of the vblank and ofthe lfinished garment; The out edge forming the neck portion extends in part lengthwise of the Wales and in part crosswiseof the Vwales 1521 and is curved therebetween. The same is true of thearmholes. The present inventionj has todo With-an apparatus for the applying of a binding to a cut edge of a knitted fabric vwhich extends'i'n part lengthwise of the Wale and in part crosswise 265;. of the Wale-in accordance Vwith 4the* method set forth in the copending application of Carmichael, etal., SerialNo. 636,764, filedrOctober 7,l 1932, of which this is adivision.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved Aapparatus for binding the edges of knitted fabrics ywherein the binding strip may be placed under tension orreleased fromftension during the stitching of the sameto the fabric at the willof the operator. I

,'lheaboveand :other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and willbe hereinafter more fully pointed out.

zInthe'drawings-i'- f Figure 1 is a `perspective View showing a sewing f machine to' whichpthe tension device has been applied for applying tension to the binding strip as itfisbeng stitched to the `body fabric.

Fig. v2*is a side view'of the tension device shown applied toja `sewing machinein Fig. l.- y

Fig-3 isa side view of the tension device in section; Y i i -Figi isa sectional view taken along line 4 4 of -Fig. 3 withthe -pulleyshown in full lines.V

The bindingstripv is Yformed fromaknitted fabricfqthe wales of which `extend ylengthwise lof the binding strip. The `binding strip -is secured to the body fabric by a stitching mechanism Which, as shown in kthe drawings, forms a covering stitch yfor both edges -of thebinding strip.

'.' While `other forms of rstitching may be used, this covering stitching is preferable -asit notaonly iiifmlyfioints the binding io the body fabiiabut nism for laying a thread which joins the two lines of stitchingon one face of the fabric, an,d t he k needle thread loops are joined by a looper thread,v which covers the other edge of the bindinglstr-ipf. This .isa common form of cover stitch forming mechanism. l

The binding strip is passed throughavbinder preferably of the type whereinlthe fabric edges' are folded andthen the strip isinverted so'asto bring the folded edgesbetween the strip andthe',

body fabric.V This binder s of such ahch'aracter.

that the binding strip will be'guidedthereth'roiiglfll with little resulting or stretching'` tension `on 'the' strip, i rAt the receiving end of thebinder therefis a tension device including tensionplates l,b etw which the binding strip passes.

plates against the strip and manually 7controlled PATEN ,'I'herearefprgf vided spring means .for yieldingly` holdinggthe` means for separating the 4plates so? as -to Vfree strip from tension. A i i The binding strip, when ybeing ustitchedto the body fabric by a feed of the strip, and the fabfijicA in a direction lengthwise of the wales, is subst'aIL-t.V

tially free from all tension. When,howe ver, Ithe' binding strip is being stitched to the .body fabrir;

at a` portion thereof crossing ,the wales, aten`sio`n" y or dragis placed on the strip, so thatthe feed o f the machinewill stretch 'the stripto acertain extent. Y The knitted binding strip with the wales extending lengthwise thereof has a ,certain amount of elasticity so that the application of tensionthereto Willstretch. it. lThe feed of.'v the fabric, when extending lengthwise "of the'wales,

will lay thefabric smoothly.Withoutfstretching, the same, but When, however,th e, f'eedjextends crosswise of the wales, or approximately a.V crosswise direction, the handling of thefabrif together with the feed, necessarily stretchesfthe fabric, thusdistorting or separating .the normal;

lay ofthe ,Walesat the out edge. inasmuch `as the binding strip is also stretched at.' this ktime when it passes from beneath `the :presser foot after itis stitched to thebody fabricgit y will 1 e5 turn to its normal unstretched condition and this" will likewise restore the .cut edgepf the fab 1 'icIk ing a needle head 8 within which theV nee ebarfS.k

reciprocates. The needle bar 9 ca'r es 'twoy support by a presser foot I2 and is fed across theV work support by a feeding mechanism including a feed dog'cooperating with the presser foot. "Co- 5 loperating with-the needles above the work support is a threadlaying mechanism which includes a thread guide I3 and a cooperating thread hook I4. This mechanism laysthe thread in loop form 10 thus forms a covering for the upper edge of the binding strip. Cooperating with theneedles beneath the Work support is a jlooper, the thread of which joins `the' needle thread'loops and Vvthus forms a covering for the lower edge of the bind# 15 ing strip. The cut edge of the fabric to which the binding strip is to be applied is guided beneathf the presser foot I2 by a guiding member I'I. The binding strip I8 passes through a binder I9 which is ofthe usual type.

V$ A Thebinder is 4provided withmeans for folding the edges of the binding strip and'inverting the` strip as'it passes from lthe binder beneath the presser footA so that the inturned edges of the strip lie between the body portion of the lstrip 35 and the bodyfabric; Before the binding strip I8 .passes into the binder .I9, it passes through' a tensionV device.

'I'his tension device, as illustrated'in the accompanying drawings, is in theform'oi a bracket 20 30 whichjis secured in position by suitable screws 2 I.. Avplate 22 is mounted on the bracket v20 andi .secured theretobyV screws 23.- Two tension posts 2 4, 2,4 aresupported on'the plate 22 and spaced from one another..` A tensionV plate V25 having in- `35 VclinedV wing portions 25-is mounted on the posts 24 With'portions thereof contacting withV shoulder 24I .on the posts 24. A tension plate 2 6 having similar inclined wing portions, 26ais mounted on theA posts 24, 24.' The binding strip I8 is adapted i to passbetweenthe tension plates 25 and 26 in Y the iregion between the posts 24.v YThere is'` a yspringll on` each post and an adjustable A'nut 28 which serves as an abutment for the spring and `which may be shifted to vary the tension of the These springs` 21 bear continuously against the'v tension plate 26 and `tend to normally force theplate 26toward theplate 25 sro Vasto grip the binding. strip between the plates. In order to release thetension'on the strip, the plate 505- 26 is, forcibly moved away from the plate '25`by a tension releasing mechanism.`y Attached to the plate 26 is a bracket V29 Yto which a flexible cord 30 is connected. This cord l3Ilruns over a roller 3|, which is carried by the arm 20a ofthe bracket 55; 20,7`andis'then connected to a'treadle 32. When the treadle 32 `is depressed, the plate26 maybe movedl away fromv the` strip so as to relieve itV from allv tension.- `When the treadle 32 is released thenr the springs 21 operate to force the plate V26 toward m' the plate-25 in order tov grip., the binding strip and thus apply tension thereto. vThe operator, l

through'the treadle,vmay vary the tension on the strip all the way from yfull tension to complete release/ f Itis Ato, be clearly understoodthat the tension device shown anddescribed hereinrmay be employed wherever it is'desirable to place va strip under tension andthatminor changes in details of construction and arrangement Vof parts may Y Y 17 be made without departing-from`the scopeof the inventionas setforth in the appended claims.

v Having thus fully Idescribed our invention; what we claim as new and desire to secure by. Letters Patent, i"s: k j j "1. An apparatus for stitcmng'kniaed fabrics end of said binding guidearid including tension plates between which the strip passes, means for mounting said tension plates for parallel move# ment relative to one another, spring meansffor so that it is secured by the needle threads'and V yieldingly moving said plates yrelative to each other for kplacing a tension on lsaid strip, and manually controlled means for separating the y tension platesto vary the tension applied tor the strip. V l

2; An-apparatus for stitching. -knitted fabrics comprising a` stitching mechanism, a binding guide forl directingA a binding strip about ythe.

a tension device located adjacent thejreceiving edges of afabrl'c andY to the stitching mechanism,

end of said binding guideand including asta- Vtionary tension plate and a movable tension plate'mounted for parallel movement relativeto one another, spring means forl normally forcing said movable tension Vplate toward saidL stationfy ary tension plate-to apply tension to the strip passing therebetween, and treadle controlledA means for moving said movable tension plate away from said stationary tension yplate to `release the tension on the strip. "f 3. In Aa. sewing machine, the combination of a stitch formingmechanism, vmeans for directing a strip thereto, and a tension'device through which said strip is` adapted topass,=said tensiondevice comprisingasupporting bracket-,'a pair of tension Aplates mounted von lsaid bracket for parallel movement relative to one another, spring means for normally holding said plates together to ap-A ofspaced posts carried thereby, a pair of rela"-V tivelyV movable` tension plates carried by "said posts, a, spring on each post for normally holding said' tension plates .together to applytension to the` strip, vand treadle controlledY means for separating said platesvto release Athe tension on Ythe strip. l, v 5. In a sewing machine, the combination of a stitch forming mechanism, means for directing a strip thereto, 'and a tension device through which said stripV isl adapted to pass, saidtension de vice comprising a supporting bracket, a pair of spaced posts carried by said bracket, a pair of tension plates supported by said posts, a spring on each post for normally holdingsaid tension plates together to apply tension to the strip, a roller carried by said bracket, and a flexible cord passing over said roller and having onev endconnectedy to one of said tension plates andrhavingf the oppositeV end connected to a treadle wherebyY the tension'plates may be separated to release the tensionA ron, the strip by depressing the` treadle. ,g

6. In a sewing machine, the combination of av stitch forming mechanism, means for -directing a'strip thereto, and a tension device through which said strip is adapted to pass, said tension'V plates 'releaser thel soli;

asf..

device' comprising a supporting bracket, a pairA .v of relatively movable tensionV plates carried thereby, spring meansfor normally holding said tension plates togetherto apply tension to-the' strip, a fastening device carried by one of said tension plates, and treadle controlled means including a. exible cord secured to said fastening device for separating said tension plates to release the tension on the strip. Y

7. In a sewing machine, the combination of a stitch forming mechanism, means for directing a strip thereto, and a tension device through which said strip is adapted to` pass, said tension device comprising a supporting bracket having a pair of upstanding arms, a pair of relatively movable tension plates carried by one of said arms, spring means for normally holding said tension plates together to apply tension to the strip, a pulley mounted on the other of said arms and means including a flexible'cord passing over said pulley and secured to one of said tension plates for separating the same whereby to release the tension on the strip. 

